AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – Thomas Nolan, Task Force Chair
II. Approval of Minutes from May 24, 2021
III. Hear outline of Django’s Presentation, Which He Aims to Present at a Full Board Meeting in the Fall
IV. Get an Update from Tim About Progress on the Rich Earth Institute Program
V. Discuss Kurt Daims’ “Greta” Resolution
BCTV Channel 1075 schedule for the week of 7/19/21
Monday, July 19, 2021
4:25 am Yoga with Liza – Kundalini Yoga
6:00 am Yoga with Liza – Chair Yoga for Creating Openness, Strength, and Tranquility
7:00 am A Work in Progress – A Work In Progress: Pedestrian Bridge in Brattleboro
7:15 am Nuclear Free Future – Transporting Radioactive Waste from Vermont Yankee 6/14/21
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast
It is helpful to step back every once in awhile and try to look at the big picture. What we see when we look at the human species and the planet is not pretty.
Living organisms are programmed for survival. But the great paradox is that so many human activities are geared toward destruction. One of the most glaring example has to do with climate change.
There have always been naturalists and conservationists among us. I would consider them people who understand that our behavior has an effect on all other living matter around us. Their voices have been small and not very loud over the ages, yet they possess the knowledge that all of us need to help preserve the natural world that we live in. Humans have never given science the respect it is due and that attitude is proving destructive to everything we interact with.
In the 21st century it is not enough for there to be naturalists pointing the way because humans have become so arrogant and selfish that the only way they will move to change their behavior is if it effects their pocketbook or their selfish way of life.
The Rosefire Writing Circle has been offering community and support for writers of all ages and abilities since 2016. Award-winning writer and veteran teacher Deborah Lee Luskin facilitates.
Deborah creates a safe and welcoming space where participants write to prompts designed to prime the creative pump. Writers focus and fly, spilling their words onto the page. Those who wish then read this new work, while others bear witness to these remarkable stories. The entire process enhances creativity; participants invariably write more, write better, and write with greater confidence.
AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – Kelly Young
II. Approval of Previous Minutes – July 8, 2021
III. New Hires – Action Needed
Here’s a story that should be of interest to public officials in Brattleboro. A court has ruled that government officials can’t censor speech they oppose or find offensive.
The ruling says:
Agenda (120 min)
Call to order
Agenda review (3)
Approve last meeting minutes (3)
Roles for this meeting (3)
Announcements (5)
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Thursday, July 15, 2021 at 7:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. Please see the attached agenda.
Jessica Sticklor
Executive Assistant
Town of Brattleboro
Monday, July 19th, D.M.I. Paving (a contractor of the town) will be starting our summer paving project. Cold Planning and paving operations will be taking place on Highland ST, Central ST, Pearl ST, Thomas ST, Pellet ST, Blakeslee ST and White Birch AVE. Weather permitting, work is expected to happen between 7 am and 5 pm, Monday thru Friday. On street parking will not be permitted during work hours. The project is expected to take approximately two weeks.
BCTV Channel 1085 schedule for the week of 7/12/21
Monday, July 12, 2021
5:05 am Vermont State House – Presentation of the Final 10 Year Telecom Plan 6/22/21
7:30 am Montpelier Connection – Rep. Sara Coffey 6/24/21
8:00 am The David Pakman Show – The David Pakman Show – Weekly Broadcast
9:00 am Energy Week with George Harvey – This Week’s Energy News
10:00 am Brattleboro Selectboard – Brattleboro SB Mtg 7/6/21
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MENU
July 12 Turkey Burger w/Cranberry
Tater Tots
Veggie Salad
Watermelon
It’s bad enough that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his band of idol-worshipping Trumpies are controlling much of what goes on in congress, but many of their supporters around the country are also in control of the course of COVID.
Federal politics has always been less than representative of the will of the people and that kind of imbalance has increased over the last few years. Even though Democrats have a slim majority in the Senate they have great difficulty passing any significant legislation because of issues like the filibuster and the need for 60 votes for bill passage. This situation has all but crippled the body politic and it will continue for the foreseeable future.
That future is starting to look at little grimmer when it comes to COVID in this country. A minority of Americans are determining the course of COVID because of their refusal to get vaccinated. The unvaccinated are not a monolithic group but it seems clear that states that lean Republican and places that have bought into the Trump lies have the lowest vaccination rates.
HatchSpace is offering several woodworking classes for both beginners and experienced woodworkers.
Mastering the Card Scraper with Tom Bodett: In this 2.5-hour workshop, Tom Bodett shares his passion for woodworking and especially the Card Scraper – a simple and effective tool for creating a beautiful finish on wood. Tom will cover how to use the Card Scraper and how to keep it sharp. Each participant will receive a card scraper and the tools to keep it sharp – a diamond stone and burnisher. Offered on July 17 and August 14.
Intermediate Lathe Techniques: An introduction to face-turning techniques on the lathe, with master wood turner Jeff Bower. This 3-hour direct learning experience focuses on tools and techniques to create a wide-variety of simple forms. Includes safety, setup, design, and tool selection to take the mystery out of turning and inspire your creativity. Previous lathe experience is required. Offered on July 25 and August 1.
The Town of Brattleboro is conducting a housing survey to help the Town and its partners create housing solutions to address pressing housing needs. Your contribution to the study of housing needs is very important. Findings from the survey will be incorporated into a Housing Action Plan that is expected to be completed this fall. Take the survey at http://tinyurl.com/brattleborohousing. In addition to residents of Brattleboro, property owners and those who would like to live in Brattleboro but have had trouble finding housing are encouraged to take the survey.
The Vermont Agency of Transportation has announced the resumption of Amtrak Service to Vermont beginning on July 19, 2021. A celebration is planned for Monday, July 19 at 12:45pm to be held on the green adjacent to the Connecticut River, across from Whetstone Station restaurant. The festivities are provided by the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance (DBA) and will include free gelato and a performance by a local band, the Detrani Brothers. The event is free and the public is welcome. An official from Operation Lifesaver of Vermont will be on hand to give a brief talk on train safety, and other local dignitaries will also address those in attendance.
As Tropical Storm Elsa wends her way up the coast, it seems as good a time as any to point out our new weather feature — an interactive weather map! We’re very happy with the new functionality, having lost access to the National Weather Service maps about a year ago.
Before telling you more about the map and its many features, here’s how to find it: go to the iBrattleboro Weather Page and scroll down past the forecast and weather links where you’ll find it labeled Weather Map and Radar. There she blows, and isn’t she a beauty?
HatchSpace, a non-profit 501(c)(3) community organization, re-opens in its new location at 22 High Street in Brattleboro, Vermont starting in early June. Summer classes and workshops will include an intensive beginning woodworking course with Gail Grycel, along with workshops on making a tile top end table, a Shaker Bench with guest instructor Tim Clark, intermediate woodturning with guest instructor Jeff Bower, carving with Noriko Isogai, bending wood with steam with Blake Johnson, intro to CNC with Gail Fletcher, designing your vision, using a card scraper with HatchSpace founder Tom Bodett, along with many others. For more info, see the complete course list at hatchspace.org or email info@hatchspace.org
AGENDA
A. Meeting Called to Order
B. Announcements
C. Public Comment
D. Approve Minutes of May 14, 2021 (5 minutes)
E. Update on Food Sovereignty Work
This week’s Guest: BILLIE SLADE, Green Mountain Camp for Girls, Executive Director
One of the coolest summer camps in Vermont, BILLIE SLADE is at the heart and helm of the Green Mountain Camp for Girls, right here in Dummerston. Tune in to hear great stories about this historic camp, 104 years old & going stronger than ever!
The first “hybrid” meeting using a combination of in-person and zoom participants had no real technical issues to speak of, but many interesting details to discern.
Big news was the agreement being worked out with owners of the nearby Connecticut River dams. They will be changing their operations to create a more natural water flow, which is good news for the river banks, all sorts of critters, recreation, and even the company’s plans for the future.
New land use amendments were approved, as was a mural project. The board also heard of two new places in town to get drinks more easily – Retreat Farm and craft experiment at the River Garden.
